Just The Two Of Us is due to launch on BBC1 this Friday night, and to help you prepare for the singing extravaganza here’s a bit more about the celebrities taking part:
Loui Batley
Loui plays series regular, Sarah, in the Chester-based teen-soap Hollyoaks and has previously made appearances in the cult sitcom Nighty Night and Alan Bleasdale’s Jake’s Progress. Before becoming an actress, Loui trained as a dancer both in the UK and US specialising in jazz, ballet, tap and basic ballroom. She has also some vocal training.
Julia Bradbury
Julia is co-presenter of BBC-1’s Watchdog and it was her colleague Nicky Campbell who suggested that she take part in this year’s competition. Over the summer Julia satisfied her passion for extreme sports by completing a documentary about the selection process for the world famous Red Arrows, which saw her get not one, but two opportunities to fly in the famous jets. Julia is also working on a BBC-1 special documentary entitled ‘Speed’ which examines the consequences of dangerous driving and will be broadcast next Spring. Julia has previously had singing lessons as she was keen to experiment with her voice but it was for fun rather than with an eye to a live primetime entertainment show.
Janet Ellis
Janet has just completed a role in a Lynn Truss’s comedy Inspector Steine for BBC Radio 4. She recently hosted Great Garden Challenge, a 62 part series for Channel 4 as well as being a regular on Five’s The Wright Stuff. Janet is a contributor to LBC Radio and presenter and contributor on BBC Radio 4. She is an accomplished presenter and actress who shot to fame as the presenter of Blue Peter, where, for four years, she did everything from jumping out of planes to singing at Last Night of the Proms. Sticky-backed plastic was also involved.
Hannah Waterman
Since leaving EastEnders, where she lived the chequered life of Laura Beale for four years, Hannah has gone on to appear on stage in The Vagina Monologues, Soap at the Stephen Joseph Theatre and in the West End production of Tom, Dick And Harry. On screen she did four guest episodes of The Bill and appeared New Tricks. During 2007 she will been seen in the latest series of New Tricks and The Afternoon Play. Hannah did have singing lessons when she was younger but she thinks her sister Julia is a better singer than she is.
Luke Bailey
Luke is currently starring in BBC-1’s top rating Saturday night drama, Casualty, in which he plays Healthcare Assistant, Sam Bateman, the charismatic son of Tess. Prior to this he starred in CBBC’s U-Get-Me and an adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Illustrated Mum. He loves music and sings as well as playing the bass guitar in a band with two friends. But he does suffer from nerves – when Luke performed a song on BBC Children in Need last year he was physically sick before going on stage – although he felt much better when the music started.
John Bardon
EastEnders star John Bardon is known to millions as Dot’s long suffering husband, Jim Branning but prior to joining the soap John appeared in many classic British television programmes including Dad’s Army and Only Fools and Horses while his film roles include East Is East, Fierce Creatures and One Of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing. He also performs as a stand-up comedian and was profiled on This Is Your Life in 2003.
Mark Butcher
Mark is one of England’s premier batsman with 71 international caps to his name and he scored an amazing 173 not out to win against Australia in 2001. He’s captain of Surrey County Cricket Club and captained England when they faced New Zealand at Old Trafford in 1999. Music has always been a big part of his life – he first performed in a school production of The Pirates Of Penzance when he was 12 and both his parents are musical.
Brendan Cole
Star of Strictly Come Dancing, Brendan is best known for sashaying his hips across the dance floor with particular flamboyance in the Latin American numbers. He’s held top honours as Latin American Champion in the Asia Pacific and New Zealand Championships and was semi-finalist in the World Open, International Open and British Open Championships.
Gregg Wallace
Known as Gregg The Veg, Gregg is the TV fruit and veg man who hosts Celebrity Masterchef, Masterchef Goes Large and Radio 4’s Veg Talk. He’s the author of VEG – The Greengrocer’s Cookbook and he contributes to Olive and BBC Good Food Magazine. He also supplies fruit and veg to over 100 of London’d top restaurants including the likes of The River Café, Kensington Place, The Caprice and The Ivy.
